Switch operator



P 1968 J. A. KORBER 3,401,578

SWITCH OPERATOR Filed Jan. 25, 1966 FIG] Josef A. Korber IN VE N TOR.

BY A 1105 Attorney United States Patent SWITCH OPERATOR Josef A. Kiirber, Zedlitzgasse 3, Vienna, Austria Filed Jan. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 522,922 Claims priority, application Austria, Feb. 1, 1965,

Claims. (Cl. 74567) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A switch assembly for generating a train of impulses in which an endless body is threadedly guided in a toroidal housing and is peripherally engaged by a drive wheel for axially advancing the carrier body around the toroid while rotating the body about the axis of the toroid, the body being provided with a multiplicity of signal-generating projections helicoidally disposed about the body with the pitch of its thread and cooperating with stationary contact members for producing the pulses upon co-operation of the stationary and movable elements.

The present invention relates to a switchgear or switching assembly destined to generate impulses for the operation of electric, acoustic, optical or other mechanical devices at predetermined intervals. Switching assemblies of this kind may be provided with a drive means operating with constant or changeable (variable) speed and comprise a carrier or support moved by the drive and bearing signal-generating wiper elements producing the desired switch impulses when sweeping over stationary contacts.

These known switching assemblies are relatively large and thus inconvenient and expensive if a larger number of impulses are to be generated, whereby the interval between any two pulses may vary within large limits and the total rhythm or cadence will be repeated only after a long period.

It is a purpose of the invention to eliminate these disadvantages and to provide a switching assembly of small volume and adapted to be manufactured inexpensively with simple means, permitting an unlimited number of impulses in exactly determined intervals to be generated. This object is achieved with a switching assembly or pulse generator, especially for giving switch impulses, is equipped with a driven carrier for the control, sweep or wiper elements which yield the switch impulses upon passing by the stationary contacts, the carrier being formed as a screw spiral (i.e. with a helicoidal peripheral ridge or thread formation) guided like a threaded spindle and driven at its periphery for longitudinal advance upon rotation of the carrier. As usual, the movable control elements may be simple pins, recesses, projections, but also marks, metal fittings, etc.; correspondingly the stationary elements or contact receivers co-operating therewith are simple micro-switches, selenium cells, inductance coils, etc.

The screw spiral or helicoidal carrier itself may be straight; according to a further feature of the invention, however, the spiral is endless, thus forming a ring. When driving such an endless spiral tangentially at the periphery, it performs two movements, provided it is threadedly guided at one or more points. Due to the drive tangential to the spiral line, first a rotary motion is caused around the axis of the spiral line. By motion of the thread guidance a second movement results in direction of the screw axis.

Of course, it is a condition that the material, from which the screw spiral is made, must allow these movements, i.e., must be accordingly resilient (i.e. sufficiently flexible). The minimum flexure, from which each turn sutters with ice every revolution, occurs if according to a further feature of the invention the screw spiral is closed circularly in itself, thus forming a torus. The diameter of this circular ring being large relative to the diameter of the screw, the resilience of one turn during one revolution is poor. But following a further feature of the invention, it is also possible to assemble the screw spiral in a chain-like configuration from individual links, the links being coupled for relative rotation about the screw axis like a universal joint, but otherwise being freely movable to each other. With this construction, it is possible to guide the screw spiral along any line without necessity of resilience or yieldability during revolution.

In the drawing, two embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example without limiting the invention.

FIG. 1 is a horizontal view of a switchgear according to the invention, with the upper part removed; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IIII of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is a cross section on an enlarged side of another embodiment to the screw spiral.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the screw spiral 1 bearing the elements for sending impulses is annulus-shaped and disposed in a casing consisting of an upper part 2 (taken off in FIG. 1) and a lower part 3 formed in mirror symmetry with it, Both are matched by screws 4. The driving shaft 6 is disposed in a recess 5, which shaft is arranged in two antifriction bearings 7, 8. The toothed wheel 9 seated on the shaft 6 engages the toothing 10 provided at the periphery of the screw spiral 1 and starts the spiral. At suitable points of the casing, if necessary along the total spiral, the respective contact receivers 18, e.g., micro-switches, selenium cells, inductance coils, etc., are disposed (see also FIG. 3). Individual elevations or protuberances 11 towering between the turns of the screw spiral are sufficient to give the spiral the necessary screw guidance.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the screw spiral 1 is three-threaded. A spiral 12 with larger diameter serves exclusively as a guidance and drive, with which spiral the toothed wheel 9 is tangentially in gear. Between the turns of the carrier spiral 12, two further screw spirals 13 and 14 are disposed and exclusively co-operate with the control elements 15, 16, the spirals 13 and 14 are connected by spoke rods or the like with the driven spiral 12. The control elements 15, 16 operate the switches 19 via contact receivers 18. In this embodiment, the driving and guiding spiral 12 which only need extend over a small portion of the casing, is passed along a screw recess 17.

The profile of the screw spiral may be formed at random, e.g., the spiral may be wound from a continuous strap having surfaces of its own, both for guidance in the casing and as bearer for the impulse senders.

The screw spiral may also be formed in such a manner as to arrange the spiral on a resilient bearer extending along the screw axis or consisting of a one-piece bearer. Besides, numerous modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A switching assembly comprising a housing, a carrier movably mounted in said housing, drive means in said housing for progressively displacing said carrier, stationary signal-generating means in said housing, and a multiplicity of movable signal-generating means on said carrier positioned for consecutive confrontation with said stationary signal-generating means and co-operating therewith for producing a train of output pulses in successive positions of said carrier, said carrier being an elongated element provided with a helicoidal peripheral ridge threadedly guided in said housing for longitudinal advancement upon rotation of said element about a centerline thereof by said drive means, said movable signal-generatv 3 ing means being helicoidally distributed over the periphery of said element at the pitch of said ridge, said drive means peripherally engaging said element.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said element is an endless flexible body.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said body is of circularly annular configuration.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said movable signal-generating means are radial projections in a helicoidal groove defined by said ridge, said stationary signal-generating 'means projecting into said groove.

5. An assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said drive means includes a pinion gear mounted in said housing and meshing with said ridge, said radial projections extending outwardly to an extent less than the radius of UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,940,172 6/4960 Bell et a1. 74-424.8 X 3,174,354 3/1965 Kuehnle 74-424.5 3,224,295 12/1965 Ardern 74-568 MILTON KAUFlvlN Pr-imary Examiner. 

